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s Father's child。
〃Can you hear me？〃 she yelled at him。 〃You've got to stop the working。 Gentle！ You've got to stop it！〃
His eyes started to flicker open。
〃Good！ Good！〃 she said； talking at his face like a school…marm trying to coax a delinquent pupil。
〃You can do it！ You can open your eyes。 Go on！ Do it！ If you won't； I'll do it for you； I'm warning you！〃
She was as good as her word； lifting her right hand to his left eye and thumbing back the lid。 His eyeball was rolled back into its socket。 Wherever he was； it was still a tong way off； and she wasn't sure her body had the strength to resist its harrowment while she coaxed him home。
Then； from the landing behind her； Sartori's voice。
〃It's too late； love；〃 he said。 〃Can't you feel it？ It's too late。〃
She didn't need to look back at him。 She could picture him well enough； with the knives in his hands and elegy on his face。 Nor did she reply。 She needed every last ounce of will and wit to stir the man in front of her。
And then inspiration！ Her hand went from his face to his groin； from his eyelid to his testicles。 Surely there was enough of the old Gentle left in the Reconciler to value his manhood。 The flesh of his scrotum was loose in the warmth of the room。 His balls were heavy in her hand； heavy and vulnerable。 She held them hard。
〃Open your eyes；〃 she said； 〃or so help me I'm going to hurt you。〃
He remained impassive。 She tightened her grip。 〃Wake up；〃 she said。
Still nothing。 She squeezed harder； then twisted。 〃Wake up！〃
His breath quickened。 She twisted again； and his eyes suddenly opened； his gasps being a yell which didn't stop until there was no breath left in his lungs to loose it on。 As he inhaled his arms rose to take hold of Jude at the neck。 She lost her grip on his balls； but it didn't matter。 He was awake and raging。 He started to rise and； as he did so； pitched her out of the circle。 She landed clumsily； but began harassing him before she'd even raised her head。
〃You've got to stop the working！〃
〃Crazy 。；。 woman 。。。〃 he growled。
〃I mean it！ You've got to stop the working！ It's all a plot！〃 She hauled herself up。 〃Dowd was right； Gentle！ It's got to be stopped；〃
〃You're not going to spoil it now；〃 he said。 〃You're too late。〃
〃Find a way！〃 she said。 〃There's got to be a way！〃
〃If you e near me again I'll kill you；〃 he warned。 He scanned the circle； to be certain it was still intact。 It was。 〃Where's Clem？〃 he yelled。 〃Clem？〃
Only now did he look beyond Judith to the door； and beyond the door to the shadowy figure on the landing。 His frown deepened into a scowl of revulsion； and she knew any hope of persuading him was lost。 He saw conspiracy here。
〃There； love；〃 said Sartori。 〃Didn't I tell you it was too late？〃
The two gek…a…gek fawned at his feet。 The knives gleamed in his fists。 This time he didn't offer the handle of either one。 He'd e to take her life if she refused to take her own。
〃Dearest one；〃 he said； 〃it's over。〃
He took a step and crossed the threshold。
〃We can do it here；〃 he said； looking down at her； 〃where we were made。 What better place？〃
She didn't need to look back at Gentle to know he was hearing this。 Was there some sliver of hope in that fact？
Some persuasion that might drop from Sartori's lips and move Gentle where hers had failed？
〃I'm going to have to do it for us both； love；〃 he said。 〃You're too weak。 You can't see clearly。〃
〃I don't。。。 want。。。 to die；〃 she said。
〃You don't have any choice；〃 he said。 〃It's either by the Father or the Son。 That's all。 Father or Son。〃
Behind her； she heard Gentle murmur two syllables。
〃Oh； Pie。〃
Then Sartori took a second step； out of the shadow into the candlelight。 When he did； the obsessive scrutiny of the room fixed him in every wretched morsel。 His eyes were wet with despair； his lips so dry they were dusty。 His skull gleamed through his pallid skin； and his teeth； in their array； made a fatal smile。 He was Death； in every detail。 And if she recognized that fact…she who loved him…then so； surely； did Gentle。
He took a third step toward her and raised the knives above his head。 She didn't look away； but turned her face up towards him； daring him to spoil with his blades what he'd caressed with his fingers only minutes before。
〃I would have died for you；〃 he murmured。 The blades were at the top of their gleaming arc； ready to fall。 〃Why wouldn't you die for me？〃
He didn't wait for an answer； even if she'd had one to give； but let the knives descend。 As they came for her eyes she looked away； but before they caught her cheek and neck the Reconciler howled behind her； and the whole room shook。 She was thrown from her knees； Sartori's blades missing her by inches。 The candles on the mantelpiece guttered and went out； but there were other lights to take their place。 The stones of the circle were flickering like tiny bonfires flattened by a high wind； flecks of their brightness racing from them to strike the walls。 At the circle's edge stood Gentle。 In his hand； the reason for this turmoil。 He'd picked up one of the stones； arming himself and breaking the circle in the same moment。 He clearly knew the gravity of his deed。 There was grief on his face； so profound it seemed to have incapacitated him。 Having raised the stone he was now motionless； as if his will to undo the working had already lost momentum。
She got to her feet； though the room was shaking more violently than ever。 The boards felt solid enough beneath ； her； but they'd darkened to near invisibility。 She could see only the nails that kept them in place； the rest； despite the light from the stones； was pitch black； and as she started towards the circle she seemed to be treading a void。
There was a noise acpanying every tremor now： a ； mingling of tortured wood and cracking plaster； all underscored by a guttural boiling； the source of which she didn't prehend until she reached the edge of the circle。 The darkness beneath them was indeed a void…the In Ovo； opened by Gentle's breaking of the circle…and in it； al… ； ready woken by Sartori's dabblings； the prisoners that connived and suppurated there； rising at the scent of escape。
At the door； the gek…a…gek set up a clamor of anticipation； sensing the release of their fellows。 But for all their power they'd have few of the spoils in the ing massacre。 There were forms appearing below that made them look kittenish： entities of such elaboration neither Jude's eyes nor wits could enpass them。 The sight terrified her； but if this was the only way to halt the Reconciliation； then so be it。 History would repeat itself； and the Maestro be twice damned。
He'd seen the Oviates' ascent as clearly as she and was frozen by the sight。 Determined to prevent him from reestablishing the status quo at all costs； she reached to snatch the stone from his hand； so as to pitch it through the window。 But before her fingers could grasp it he looked up at her。 The anguish went from his face； and rage replaced it。
〃Throw the stone away！〃 she yelled。
His eyes weren't on her； however。 They were on a sight at her shoulder。 Sartori！ She threw herself aside as the knives came down and； clutching the mantelpiec